How to build a team

The ghost of Matt Millen looms over Ford Field. In a recent interview, Millen's former XO (and current Lion GM), Martin Mayhew said:

"We want to look for the best players we can find without regard to what side of the ball that they play."

Mayhew manages a team that finished last in total defense the past three seasons. For a league built for parity, that's an amazing accomplishment. Yet, according to Mayhew:

"Philosophically, our position hasn't changed."

Was the 0-16 season not enough? Is Mayhew living in a large enough cocoon that he actually believes he's doing something right? Perhaps the stats don't speak loud enough. Hey, Mayhew,

YOU HAVE THE WORST DEFENSE OF ALL TIME.

Normally, a sane person could infer the main point from that statement, but you can't assume any person in the Lions organization is sane. So, I'll spell it out:

DRAFT A FRIGGIN' DEFENSE!

Sorry for the shouting. Pigheaded, macho stubborness gets to me. So does idiocy. Combine them all and you get the Lions management. To make matters worse, this draft has two players who - by all accounts - are the perfect fit for the Lions. At the top of everyone's board are defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy. With the number two pick, the Lions obviously have the opportunity to grab one of them. Not even the Lions can screw that up, right?

You'd be wrong. Why would the Lions take a talented player when they could trade down and draft a less-talented one? Hey, that strategy worked so well with Gosder Cherilus, right? To refresh your memory, the Lions had the 15th pick in the '08 draft. They traded down two spots (receiving a 3rd rounder as compensation). The player taken with the 16th pick was Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. If the Lions opted for offensive tackle, they could've landed Branden Albert who went 15th to the Chiefs. No All-star, Albert at least is a bona-fide NFL starter, something that continues to elude Cherilus. And who did the Lions land with that 3rd round pick? RB Kevin Smith - soon to be waived.

I'm no draft expert. Heck, I'm hardly a fan of the NFL. Yet, it pains me to see inept folks drive this football franchise further into obscurity. These are the dark days for the City of Detroit. The people need a diversion, but the Lions are just one more reminder of how the city is failure.

For the love of all that is good, Martin Mayhew, draft Suh or McCoy. And then keep drafting defense until the final bell rings. You can't draft for talent, because your "talent scouts" clearly suck at identifying who actually has talent. Draft for position. Do the opposite of what your instincts tell you. Follow fellow loser George Costanza's advice. Order your chicken salad on rye, Mayhew!